Announcement and Invitation

At the same oval table, with thirteen seats on its side, eleven people were present while waiting at the buzzing video device in the middle for everyone to see.

Much to my surprise, even the men who joined on my trip were here with bandages all over their bodies. It seems they can move now but not too much. 

As for the two people who were absent, one was managing our domain that connects here to the underworld while the other was in a high position who barely came here. He came here a few weeks ago though after I announced to stop every war preparation we have.

Well, aside from Gabby who works on the outside, we have another guy who is one of my officials and we call him General.

"It's starting…"

The cube technology device with only two buttons, was showing off a holographic screen that had a large crowd with Cayenne's back only being shown amidst those shutters from what seemed to be a camera device.

'The newest product made by the dwarves. Hmm, judging by those camera shutters, it seems this is live video… I see, this video device is all around the continent but much bigger for everyone to see, isn't it? This is really the revolutionary era in this world.'

My thoughts only stopped the moment Cayenne raised her hand and her voice could be perceived from the device.

"Hello, it must be surprising for you to see me on this big screen. Thanks to our healthy relationship with the dwarven race, we managed to use their newest project which has been postponed due to the Fiends and now, we will keep using this to announce important news."

The shutters from the camera soon stopped for a moment as they all focused on what Cayenne had to do. 

"And for our very first important announcement using this device, some of you had guessed it. The Fiends have come back. After the war, they had been silent. Now, they are ready to bare their fangs at us once more.

"Watch this, you monsters. Somewhere at your place, this video is being broadcast live for you to see. We were unprepared for the first time but we're going to be ready for the second time until you are eradicated out of these two worlds."

The camera clicked once more, blinding the view on our front for a few seconds before Cayenne raised her hands.

It seemed she wasn't done yet.

"One last thing. If you are intending to help me, don't cower behind your masks and show me the real you. And, thank you. Whatever you did there, you did great."

'…'

"That's all…"

The confused expression on the other side of the video device and the shutters of the camera momentarily stopped. 

As if she was talking nonsense about the last statement, the people in that announcement area were raising their hands but Cayenne didn't entertain them and continued going down.

But inside the assembly that turned gloomy for some reason knew who she was talking about. Of course, she was mentioning about us.

'Don't cower behind your masks and show me the real you, huh… Cayenne's speeches are very simple but still bring the most precise way she can deliver them.'

After that, another person came to the stage to continue the announcement. She's Cayenne's right-hand man, Ghale, bringing down a news that surprises everyone.

"We sadly bring this news to you that every governor of each nation had died, all except Thomas Chetilmon.

"Their corpses were found at one of the secured shelters. We assumed that they were hiding behind its walls. Investigations are being done as of the moment and we'll assign a sub-governor to govern the nations. Don't worry, this is only temporary until the election is done.

"If you have any questions, just raise your hands."

Then, as if this wasn't an announcement but a news report on television, this continued for more than three hours. 

Inside the assembly, some excused themselves, only to return with food on their hands to watch the news. Some excused themselves to go to the bathroom while some did the same and returned with papers in their hand, probably doing their required work while watching the news.

When they missed something, they would ask their seatmates for it.

I also brought back food as I watched the news, asking Maria where I had left the broadcast and answering them very seriously.

For some reason, the assembly liked the announcement device very much, learning various things we didn't know that was happening on the outside.

…

"That's all for the announcement."

It's finally done.

"Huh, what time is it—"

Orelia who glanced at the grandfather clock on the side, exclaimed as her eyes widened and smacked his husband's shoulders.

"Leo! Our kids!"

"Oh, right! Damn, that announcement is entertaining for some reason… As if I'm going to need it in the future…"

The husband and wife swiftly bowed their heads respectively at me, asking to be excused which I immediately answered and they dashed outside the room.

'I shouldn't be worried about how they handle their kids, noh? Yeah, everyone has a parenting style on their own and the Weize Family is not giving me strange vibes at all.'

One by one, they exited the room with a lacking expression on their faces as if they wanted to see more. Like an imaginative addiction that drives you to stay put and continue watching it.

'Hmm, I should gift everyone a video device they could use. It will also make our communication thrice better if we have it. Yeah, I'll get our contacts there to buy us exactly thirteen.'

With that decision in mind, I stayed inside the assembly for a moment, finishing various paperwork on my hands. For a while, my neck started cramping hence I decided to stop for today.

Arranging the papers in my hands, I stood right after and closed all the fortified lamps before leaving the room.

Outside, I met the Innkeeper in one of the corridors.

"What brings you here?"

The Innkeeper grabbed something from his black, loose pants and gave it to me. It was an envelope with the stamp of a double revolver facing against each other, forming the letter 'A'. 

"It came from the Administration." The Innkeeper stated, "It came from the mailbox of your villa."

Receiving the envelope, I tear it down before seeing the letter. As I did, a frown was forming on my face while the Innkeeper continued.

"The only reason I happened to see this envelope was because someone infiltrated your place and it had the same power as mine. I had to check it if they did something. Funnily enough, they didn't do something weird and just checked inside to see if you were there. It was probably to give you the envelope."

My expression grew darker.

The Innkeeper's face grew cold, "The thing I couldn't accept was this though. This is too wrong. Why would they visit your place unattended just to give you this?"

Letting out a sigh, I replied, "I will handle this. You are reliable as always, sir. Good work each time."

  "It's my job to do so." The Innkeeper rubbed the bottom of his nose as if embarrassed before bowing his head, "If there's nothing else, I'll excuse myself, sir. I have some errands to do for my wife."

Giving him a curt nod, the Innkeeper used the door of a cleaning chamber as some sort of transportation to leave.

"How bold."

Crumpling the invitation letter in my hand, my head circulated hundreds of methods to deal with this right away but in the end, it simply chose the most straightforward answer.

That's right, what the envelope holds is an invitation to a banquet. It will also be broadcast live to honor the valiant heroes, give them medals, and put on a public image that people are rising and coping up with the recent disaster.

And I should've no reason to come here.

I'm no hero nor wanted to get a medal.

But I will come there because it is needed.

What happened to my villa as if someone was sniffing around under my roof without getting invited is too much. There should be no other occurrences coming after this.

"Cayenne, you are being too bold."

…

'Welp, I'm back again.'

Neverest Dominion Nation

Instead of entering the nation through transportation via doors, I was in a large caravan with guards that came from the Administration itself.

The towering mountain ranges that became the wall of the strongest nation were in a deprived state inside. The nation had thousands of people in the works of reconstructing broken establishments and destroyed residences.

'And they wanted to do a banquet at this time of all days? Are they trying to rub the people who couldn't even make ends meet?'

Even if the invitation letter was made by Cayenne, I'm sure the people manipulating behind the scenes was the one who had done this. Their motives are unclear but there's one thing I'm sure of.

They are absolutely fucked up that I'm starting to support that one person who will be the lead of the next incoming arc.

'Well, let's get into it.'

With the decision in my mind to finish this as possible, I prepared myself for the incoming banquet.